Question 171·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has compiled the following notes:
- Voyager 1 was launched by NASA in 1977.
- It entered interstellar space in 2012 and is the farthest human-made object from Earth.
- The spacecraft’s primary mission to study Jupiter and Saturn ended in 1980, but it continues on an extended mission.
- New Horizons was launched by NASA in 2006.
- It completed a flyby of Pluto in 2015 and is currently exploring the Kuiper Belt.
The student wants to highlight that Voyager 1, despite being launched decades earlier, is now farther from Earth than New Horizons. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions, restate the exact goal (here, a contrast) and then select only the notes that directly support it. Check each choice for all required elements—both spacecraft, Voyager 1’s earlier launch, and Voyager 1 being farther now—and eliminate choices that include only one element or drift into unrelated mission details.
Hints
Restate the goal in your own words
You need a sentence that compares Voyager 1 and New Horizons and emphasizes that Voyager 1 is farther from Earth now even though it launched earlier.
Choose only notes that support that comparison
Look for notes that give (1) launch timing for both spacecraft and (2) a clear indicator of current distance from Earth.
Eliminate choices that don’t do both parts
Cross out choices that include only one part of the goal (only launch timing or only current location/distance) instead of connecting earlier launch to being farther now.
Prefer explicit comparison language
Look for contrast words like “although” or “while” that help you highlight the relationship the question asks for.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the required comparison
The sentence must do two things:
- Show Voyager 1 was launched decades earlier than New Horizons.
- Emphasize that Voyager 1 is farther from Earth now than New Horizons.
Use the most relevant notes
Relevant notes:
- Voyager 1: launched in 1977; is the farthest human-made object from Earth.
- New Horizons: launched in 2006; is currently exploring the Kuiper Belt.
A strong sentence should connect these details in one clear contrast.
Choose the option that includes both key points
The best choice is the one that explicitly states Voyager 1’s earlier launch and that it is now the farthest human-made object from Earth while New Horizons is still exploring the Kuiper Belt.
Answer: Although Voyager 1 was launched in 1977, long before New Horizons, Voyager 1 is now the farthest human-made object from Earth, while New Horizons is exploring the Kuiper Belt.